When trying to print I get the following error:Printing could not be executed because the paper output tray is closed.

...but it isn't. The paper output tray is open. Honestly it is.We knocked something off the shelf above the printer and it knocked the paper output tray a bit, and now, it doesn't sense that it's open. Although under warranty, I'm pretty sure they'd realise it was damage and refuse to repair it - it's not even worth the gamble of sending it off really - the postage prices are a good half the price of the printer.

Anyone think of any way I could get around this - any way in which the printer firmware can be flashed with a third party one? (I know this can be done with routers) - do you reckon if I were to start unscrewing things I would reach the paper output tray openness sensor, and be able to short circuit it or something, or will it all be many ICs.

It sounds to me the printer has one of those mechanisms that uses a touch sensor, like the tray would rest on a button and the sensor would sense the tray as down. If you can find it I would tape it down. However, I never took apart a whole printer. Only Cd players, a Ps2, and many other small electronics. But not a printer.

Sometime those small mods like that actually work. Remember... simple solution to a simple problem.

Not under the rubber feet, but whilst checking there I found that on the side of the printer there were slittty things, into which I stuck a screwdriver and wiggled it a bit, and voila, the top started to come off. After tracking down a service manual from the interwebs, I managed to locate the last 2 pesky clips which were keeping the top on.

All that needed to be done to 'fix' the printer, was to ensure a little switch was flipped a certain way, which I did by way of a piece of cotton, so now I have a working printer ^^

Thanks everyone...

'It can't be software incompatibility - the Trodden Spiral was designed for concentric rings, idiot ...'

*goes to look*on the left hand side: 15cm from front about 3 cm from base, a slit about 4mm across 2 mm high with a little arrow above it .looks a little like: V[ ]on the right hand side: the same as left hand side

there are two slits on the back:they look the same, are maybe slightly higher up than the ones on the sides.

The 'pesky' clips are on the front, and took me ages to find them when I was doing it, just sort-of force things gently, try and find where the case is still being held on.

Had exactly the same trouble! Dropped the hole punch off the shelf onto the printer shelf and is saying output tray open!We've been taking the printer apart and are still having a bit of trouble getting the top off! Think we've located the clips but not too sure - any more info on them? The top seems to be stuck round the front despite pressing on clips.Also, once inside, as you say "All that needed to be done to 'fix' the printer, was to ensure a little switch was flipped a certain way, which I did by way of a piece of cotton". Where is the 'little switch' located inside? What does it look like?Many thanks for your advice so far! Brilliant!

The switch was at the front of the printer just to the right of the paper output tray. You will see on the paper output tray there are two hinges (one on left one on right) - before the breakage the right hinge would push the switch when closed. Think 'tis white.

Once located, I tied a piece of cotton around the switch and pulled it upwards, put the case back on with the cotton kinda poking out, and when wanting to print something I did have to pull the cotton, but have tied it to the shelf the printer is on so is now always taut.

Finding the clips was the hardest thing for me. Just keep at it and prod things, but not too hard. There are also two clips around the front of the printer The service manual really should help (the above link seems to have died - I accidentally linked the google temp url for it). Go http://www.google.com/search?client=ope ... 8&oe=utf-8 there, should be the top result (description like ile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLCANON PIXMA iP4200 072005 XX 0.00-0. Scope. This manual has been issued by Canon Inc., to provide the service technicians of this product with the ...)

Diagrams on page 20 of the manual for clips.

'It can't be software incompatibility - the Trodden Spiral was designed for concentric rings, idiot ...'

The manual is talking about a hook to release, on the front bottom cover, on its side you will find an arrow mark pointing up. To successfully open the cover put a screwdriver on the side and push towards you. that is the hook they are talking about in the manual. To get the botton case removed there is a four screw that you need unscrew, the 3 screws are easy to remove the top left one, you need a long screwdriver to get it. Hopes this helps.

I found that if you can't fix the switch you can cut the two small cables (yellow) and twist them together, this bypasses the command from the printer to the computer to display the code. Hope it helps.

Nice - I still have a piece of cotton sticking out of the top of my printer and I have to pull it when I want to print I thought about shorting the switch, but was too scared to do so. Maybe I'll have a go at it.

'It can't be software incompatibility - the Trodden Spiral was designed for concentric rings, idiot ...'

The cotton tying thing is unnecessary. On the side of the hinge on the right there's a little gap, if you put a piece of card in there then when the door opens the card will push the switch. That solves the problem without having to tie anything to anything else.

The drawing is wrong regarding freeing the front clips. After trying unseccessfully for way too long to get the top off, I realized that you have to remove the cassette on the bottom of the printer and then you have access to the clips with your screwdriver. Piece of cake.

Hi --- Thanks for the tip on the tray hinge! I have a Pixma iP4000. If you remove the bottom paper tray and look up underneath where the front output tray opens, you can see the right hand hinge noted above. On that hinge you can see a "tab" attached to where the hinge rotates open. That tab is what swings to make contact with the switch when the output tray is opened. You can see the switch itself... well, really just the lever which when pushed, activates the switch. That lever wants to be pushed vertically in order to activate the "open tray" switch position.

The problem I had was that the tab was not swinging up high enough to push the switch lever up to the "open tray" position.My solution was to get one of those spongy, clear cushion pads with adhesive on one side that you use under lamps or vases, etc. to keep them from marring the furniture. 3M makes them. The small ones are the right size for the tab on the hinge. I put one on the tab so that the switch lever is pushed further upward when the output tray is swung open. It's been working well!

Thanks for all previous posts. I had the same "output tray not open" error and I got the cover off and the output tray indicator switch taped to allow printing. The little piece of plastic that was supposed to trip the lever had been broken off.

Now I have a new problem: 6502 tank level indicator error. In rotating the printer to get to the cover off, I think I messed up something else. (rats) Suggestions welcome.

I have the same problem now thanks to my shoe. It wont print cause it thinks the paper out put door is closed. Do I have to take this all apart to get to the switch that needs tying or can I get to it from the front of the printer? How would this paper putput door come off w/o taking it all apart? thanks for any help youcan give me.

Thank you so much for your help. This is the second printer I've had with this problem but this time, thanks to your help I've fixed it myself! I actually bypassed the switch by cutting the yellow wires and twisting them together but the fact remains that I have a working printer thanks to you. Brilliant! Can't thak you enough. (I'm just a houswife too so your steps must be easy to follow)